Braeview House

Circa 1890 Queenslander

The couple who purchased Braeview house have a love for old homes with character so when the 1890 Queenslander home came on the market they were so grateful to acquire her.  Being avid readers, travelers and collectors the brief was very much about displaying their collections and letting their personalities shine through while editing a combination of colours from multiple previous owners including  an old schoolhouse.

This couple didn’t supply any Pinterest inspiration images as they don’t use social media.  Instead, the home design was guided by a treasured artwork of Hunter S Thompson, an inherited 1950’s record player, a love of whiskey and books and of course the architecture, history and location of the home.  I imagined this couple and their home having all the sharpness of a perfect Model T Ford with whiskey in the trunk on the way to a swanky 1920’s party.

A library was a must for the couple, partly to house the extensive book collection and secondly as a place for the record collection.  Reupholstered vintage chairs, paired with a leather sofa and new pendant light speaks to the glamour of the early 1900’s.  A layered coffee table displays a favourite chessboard and book.  I love the juxtaposition of the more casual Armadillo jute rug in this room.  The library has become a place for long conversations over whiskey, reading, entertaining guests, or just staring at the stunning view.

The central living room was reimagined to allow for cosy nights and listen to old records.  The entire room is wrapped in Porters Paints Olive Grove with Gloss Whisper White trims for freshness and to enhance the beautiful details.  This room is all about comfort so a deep sofa and soft rug were a must.  The provincial living TV cabinet has a cool vintage vibe perfect for the artwork which really sets the scene in this room.  The artwork creates a perfect level of tension in what could have easily been a more traditional look.

The kitchen came with the wonderful inclusion of an original brick stove opening.  The kind of thing that you can’t buy in Interior Design.  Wanting to minimise work allocation here, we returned the kitchen splash back to an appropriate marble lantern tile, changed handles from chrome to matt black and selected classic stools with a ticking stripe.

Interior Design and Decorating: Elska Interiors

Cabinetry: GDC Building Group

Photography: John Downs Photography

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